Four excellent art shows are opening to the public

By David F. Rooney

Don’t miss this evening’s (Friday, May 5) opening of four shows at the Visual Arts Centre — they are excellent and stimulating!

The shows are:

• Adventure Quencher, with works by Zuzana Riha, Natalie Harris, Jess Leahey and Nicola McGarry.
  Artist Zuzana Riha came up with an idea to take a group of women artists on an adventure together. It would, they thought, be a chance to watch how each artist works, an opportunity to inspire one another, to exchange ideas and boost their creative thinking. Along with their chef Tara Harris, Zuzana, Natalie, Jess, and Nicola set off to Hazel Hut for a weekend of skiing, snowshoeing, long walks, and art creation. This exhibit represents the idea of experiencing art, nature, and adventure, together amongst friends.
• Looking Back, with works by the Golden Girls.
  The Golden Girls have been painting together for over 14 years at the Visual Arts Centre. This year’s theme is Looking Back. Each member has their own personal interpretation of the theme. Some have explored ideas of what life was like as a child, others have looked at their own art practice from the beginning and how they began as an artist, while other members are bringing out older works which were started but never finished, finally completing them for this exhibit.
• Reimagining the Columbia, a juried group exhibition.
  On May 13th, there is an International conference hosted by First Nations, and people on both sides of the Canada – US border concerned with bringing environmental and ecosystem values into the Columbia River Treaty negotiations. This exhibition engages artists to discover and interpret the changes in the Columbia River that have occurred, with the coming of settlers, and the dam, and to reimagine the Columbia.
• The Salmon Connection, this project under the aegis of the ArtStarts in the Schools Program, features works by the boys and girls in Sue Leach’s Grade 5 class at Columbia Park Elementary School.
  Along with Artist Tina Lindegaard, students explored various aspects of the salmon, including life cycles, habitat, and contributions to the food web. This year-long study also included a look at the relationship of Aboriginal peoples with salmon, including ceremonies, art, food preparation, and the impact that hydro-electric dams have had on salmon in the Columbia River. Students have created a series of works in a variety of media, such as felting, banner painting, and clay.

These exhibitions open to the public at the Visual Arts Centre from 6 pm until 9 pm Friday, May 5.

Here are a few of the artworks you’ll be able to enjoy: